Brest (France) (AFP) – The trial of the Chinese commander of the Boracay, an oil tanker from the Russian ghost fleet boarded by France in September off the coast of Brittany, opened Monday in Brest (west), in his absence.
Published on: 02/23/2026 - 2:09 p.m.
Currently at sea, Chen Zhangjie, 39, Chinese commander of the Boracay (also known as the Phoenix), is represented before the Brest criminal court by his lawyer Henri de Richemont.
Justice accuses him of having refused to comply when the French navy wanted to inspect his 244 meter long ship on September 27, while it was sailing in international waters off the island of Ouessant.
The ship was suspected of being involved in drone overflights that disrupted Danish air traffic in September.
Two employees of a Russian private security company, responsible for monitoring the crew and collecting intelligence, were also on board the Boracay, AFP learned on Monday from two French sources with knowledge of the matter. Aged 34 and 40, these two men, including a former police officer who worked for the notorious Wagner company, were employed by the Russian private security group Moran Security Group.
“My client has nothing to do with this presence, he is not the one who put the Russians on board his ship,” Mr de Richemont told AFP.
The only person prosecuted by French justice, Mr. Chen risks a year of imprisonment and a fine of 150,000 euros. His lawyer announced that he would ask the Brest court to declare itself incompetent.
As the events took place in international waters, "French law is not intended to apply", he stressed. It is the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, known as “Montego Bay”, which applies in this scenario, according to the lawyer.
According to the provisions of this convention, it is the Beninese courts (flag owned by Boracay at the time) or the Chinese courts (nationality of the commander) which would be competent to judge Mr. Chen, according to the lawyer.
The Boracay, which now flies the Russian flag, returned to sea five days after being boarded by the French navy. It was anchored Monday near the port of Rizhao, in northeast China, according to the Marine Traffic website.
The Russian ghost fleet is used by Moscow to circumvent Western sanctions against its oil sales.
© 2026 AFP
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